"Beneath the masks lie expert warriors, handpicked and rigorously tested by General Shirokuri himself. The wolves they ride are massive, fearsome, wintery beasts with minds as sharp as their claws and teeth. The bond is a lifelong commitment, paired when the wolf is still a suckling pup. They spend the rest of their days together. Eating, training, sleeping, the two become one. There is no distinction between beast and rider once joined in battle, communicating through a complex system of touches, motions and whispers, allowing them to be as effective in the roar of a battlefield as when prowling an enemy on padded paws in a hushed forest." - Chapters of the North, Volume III - Mahotsukai Hoohige.